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Western Native Tree Society Executive Committee |
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 Don Bertolette Founder and President of the Western Native Tree Society My career started in as a pre-Forestry community college student working for the BLM as a Forestry Aid (GS-3) with BLM in Eastern Oregon, and with a few exceptions (as material coordinator/pipefitter supervisor with Fluor Engineers and Constructors, in Saudi Arabia) I stayed the course with federal land management agencies through retirement last year as a GS-12 program manager, with the National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ. My education started early on pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources Management, which I completed at Humboldt State University in 1983. After nearly a decade with the USFS, I was encouraged to pursue my Master of Science degree in Forestry with University of Massachusetts, at Amherst, where I specialized in Remote Sensing of Old-growth Forests, and successfully defending thesis in 1993. Returning to the West (Arizona/Alaska), I developed skills in GIS that eventually led to Fire Area Growth Simulation, to model wildfire growth. With additional studies at Northern Arizona in Ecological Restoration, I obtained NEPA compliance for, and completed Wildfire Hazard Reduction Research project at Grand Canyon National Park. At my retirement from Grand Canyon, I was Vegetation Program Manager (Developed Area). Since retiring in 2007, I’ve continued participation with ENTS/WNTS, the Cook Inlet Chapter of SAF, and am Alaska’s Big Tree Coordinator. In my spare time, I’m an apprentice Beer Judge, and actively pursue excellence in Anchorage’s world-class brewing venues. Don Bertolettes Early Days in Forestry June 2008 |
 Michael W. Taylor Vice-President of the Western Native Tree Society, is now the American Forests champion tree coordinator for California. Michael W. Taylor is a leading discoverer of champion and tallest trees - most notably Coast Redwoods. In 2006, Michael co-discovered the tallest known tree in the world, a coast redwood (sequoia) now named "Hyperion". He also discovered "Helios" and "Icarus", the 2nd and 3rd tallest. National Geographic made a video about the discovery and measuring of Hyperion. The discovery made headlines. Taylor has discovered 50 coast redwoods over 350 feet tall, and co-discovered approximately 100 more over 350 feet with Chris Atkins and Stephen Sillett, who is the first holder of the Kenneth L. Fisher Chair in Redwood Forest Ecology at Humboldt State University. Taylor and Sillett have collaborated and measured remarkable previously unknown redwoods. Their discoveries have fueled research and public interest in coast redwoods, which are now a World Heritage Site. Michael is a main character of the non-fiction book (2007) The Wild Trees. The narrative includes how Taylor began exploring for tall trees, measuring tallest trees, and later networking with Pacific coast forest researchers. |
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NTS Organization ENTS People -Alphabetical
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